As my social media streams load up on snow pictures from the big blizzard in the northeast (what a winter!), I was home in sunny (but still chilly) California — and I happened to come across some photos from this summer that never saw the light of the day. It’s no secret that I prefer hot, sticky tropical weather to winter wonderland snowstorms. So I thought I’d skip down memory lane as an ode to all the fun I had last summer in the carefree months after I decided it was time to leave Las Vegas for the California coast. This picture is from underneath the Seattle Ferris Wheel, taken during a long weekend I spent there last July. After jumping onboard the off-the-wall “Ride the Ducks” tour and a day on Bainbridge Island, my two pint-sized friends (ages 2 and 4) caught a second wind and ran towards the big wheel, willing to wait in line as long as it took. As the tourists in front of us started to load up one enclosed cabin after another, I couldn’t help but wonder how the little kids in my party were so fearless. We were getting ready to go sky-high — even I was getting a little nervous! But once we climbed in, all of that was forgotten. We were so excited! Slowly, we rose higher and higher, in our own car with plenty of room to move around as we each tried to see everything. What a view… The wheel increased to some pretty impressive speeds once it was full and could really get going. We looked for our car, pointed out interesting people along the boardwalk and took a ton of photos. The water was gorgeous with a smattering of sailboats.

Winter is cozy, but I am already looking forward to the lazy days of summer!